The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation(KPC) and its affiliates plan to ratchet up free gas production capacity to 510 million cubic feet and increase light oil output to 200 thousand barrels per day (bpd) by December, a Kuwaiti senior official said on Wednesday.

Speaking to the press, Minister of Oil Essam Al-Marzouq said that capacity would be enhanced through three production units to be configured soon, all of which will churn out 100 cubic feet of free gas and 40,000 bpd of light oil.

Al-Marzouq, who doubles as Minister of Electricity and Water, pointed out that Kuwait has collaborated with reputable gas exploration and production companies to help meet the country's rising need of natural gas, as temperatures soar during the summer.

He added that Kuwait, through cooperation with staunch ally Saudi Arabia, was "eager to develop its gas fields in order to boost production capacity."